Filipino animated short film wins at 2 Florida festivals
MANILA, Philippines — Nelson "Blog" Caliguia Jr.'s "Sulayman," a Filipino animated short film based on the Maguindanao folktale "Indarapatra and Sulayman," was victorious at two different short film festivals held in Florida, United States.
"Sulayman" won Best Animated Film at the PENSACON Short Film Festival and Best Animation (Traditional) at the FantaSci Short Film Festival.
The eight-minute short, featuring music and sound design by Pepe Manikan, revolves around the sacrifices heroes make to save others as the titular warrior uses his skills, compassion and dedication to fight elements that disrupt the peace in his hometown.
The short film was funded through the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) Innovation Grant Program in response to the global crisis affecting the creative industry during the height of pandemic lockdowns.
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"One of the things I thought about is the technical requirements. Because I need to fit the story within a manageable timeframe and within the resources available," Caliguia Jr. said in a statement.
The filmmaker and his team made "Sulayman" as concise and compact as possible without losing the original tale's elements and its cultural significance, adding he wanted to retain a "Filipino local vibe."
The PENSACON award is Caliguia Jr.'s first international recognition, having only finished as a finalist in previous international festivals atop past wins in local animation festivals.
The director hopes the short film's triumph will inspire young animators to make their own content rooted in Philippine cultures and help create awareness for original Filipino animation.
"Mas magandang mabigyan ng spotlight 'yung mga locally paid animation projects made by actual homegrown Filipino artists," Caliguia Jr. ended.
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